A prepaid sub-meter, also known as a subsidiary meter, is a new generation meter that allows property owners, landlords, or corporate bodies to control the utility consumption of their tenants individually.
A prepaid sub-meter for tenants is a metering device that allows tenants to pay for their individual utility consumption in advance. The prepaid sub-meter records energy usage for a section of a rental property, while the main meter records utility consumption for the entire property. This means that the submeter will not replace main meter; instead, it is installed downstream of the council meter to measure individual energy usage.
A rental property can have more than one prepaid sub-meter, depending on the nature of the property. So, as a tenant, using a prepaid sub-meter for your energy management will help you manage your utility usage more efficiently and cut costs at the same time since you’ve got full control of your utility consumption.
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Prepaid Sub-Meter for Tenants

A prepaid sub meter is a metering device that measures individual utility usage like electricity, gas, or water in a rental property. It is a meter that enables tenants to measure, monitor, track, and track their utility consumption. The prepaid sub-meter requires tenants to pay for their utility usage in advance.
This means that individual tenant in a particular property will control their energy usage since they’ll be the one to recharge their sub meter when the credit unit is used up. As a tenant, once your credit units reaches zero, your power supply will be interrupted but this will not affect the entire property since the main meter still measure whole property’s energy usage.
Prepaid sub-meter can be used in residential areas, vacation rentals, business parks, student accommodation, etc. This meter is ideal for tenants who doesn’t want to share utility bills with anyone else. So, if you only want to pay for your individual utility usage, then the prepaid sub meter for tenants is an option to consider.
How Prepaid Sub-Meter for Tenants Work
Before we proceed with the discussion on how prepaid sub-meters for tenants work, it is important for you to know that the prepaid sub-meter doesn’t replace the main meter or council meter. Rather, the sub meter works beneath the main meter
How it works is that the main meter installed by Eskom or the municipality tracks and records the whole utility consumption for the entire property, while the sub-meter, on the other hand, only monitors and records individual consumption within the sub-metered area.
The sub-meter is normally installed below the main meter, and it records only utility usage for the particular area it cover. This means that a property can have more than one sub-meter, depending on its elaborate nature. This sub-meter, when installed, can record specific utility consumption for a section of a property, while the main meter records the whole utility usage.
Benefits of Prepaid Sub-Meters for Tenants
As a tenant who lives in a rented property, there are lots of benefits to using a prepaid sub-meter. They are:
- It allows you to control your utility expenses
- The issue of utility billing dispute between you and your property owner will become a thing of the past.
- Prepaid sub-meters will help tenants manage their energy consumption more efficiently.
- The issue of accumulated bills will be solved since tenants will pay for their utility usage upfront.
- Transparent monitoring of energy usage since tenants can see their usage in real-time.
Prepaid Sub Meter for Tenants Online
As a tenant who uses a prepaid sub-meter for measuring and managing your utility usage, you can conveniently monitor your consumption using online management platforms like PayGo Utilities, SPL Energy Management, CloudCompli, EnergoBilling, KwikPay, etc. With these management platforms, you can track and view your energy usage in near-real-time.
Conclusion
In a world where managing expenses is more important than ever, a prepaid sub-meter gives tenants exactly what they need—control and transparency. By allowing you to pay for your utilities upfront and monitor your consumption in real-time, this meter puts the power quite literally in your hands. No more disputes with landlords over shared bills, no more unexpected charges piling up. You’re in charge of how much you use and when you top up. Whether you’re in a residential property, student housing, or a business park, a prepaid sub-meter simplifies your utility management and brings peace of mind to your living experience. At the end of the day, it’s about control, fairness, and making life just a little bit easier.